BLM Winnemucca District announces selection of new Black Rock Field Manager
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WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management, Winnemucca District Office is pleased to announce the selection of Mark E. Hall as the Field Manager for the Black Rock Field Office.
“We conducted a very extensive and thorough search and interview process for this important position,” said BLM Winnemucca District, Acting District Manager, Michael Toombs. “Mark has a solid record of service and leadership and we are looking forward to having him continuing to serve the district in his new role.”
Hall is currently the Assistant Field Manager for the Black Rock Field Office, and has been the acting Field Manager since February. He has been with BLM on the Winnemucca District since January 2010. In addition to his position as assistant field manager, Hall has held various positions including archaeologist, Native American Coordinator, and Planning and Environmental Coordinator.
Hall received a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. He also received a Master's of Science in Materials Science and Mining in May 1985 and a Master’s of Arts in Anthropology in December 1986 from the University of California Berkley. In December 1992, he received his Doctorate in Anthropology (History Minor) from the University of California Berkley.
The Black Rock Field Office encompasses the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA). The NCA Act of 2000 protects about 120 miles of the emigrant trails, from Rye Patch Reservoir, north through the vast Black Rock Desert and then winding through the narrow gorge of High Rock Canyon. The Act provides special designation to nearly 1.2 million acres of public land in northwestern Nevada, establishing an 800,000-acre NCA and designating about 750,000 acres as wilderness. About 380,000 acres of the wilderness is within the NCA. The Act also identified other resources and uses of national significance including pre- history, paleontology, wildlife, wild horses, and recreation. The most visible resource is the Black Rock Desert Playa. The playa is the enormous, flat, dry lakebed of ancient Lake Lahontan.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.